Dustin Johnson's bid for a third victory at the Saudi International began with . Ive never thought about anything else, its always been the PGA Tour Right now you look at the best players that I see and theyre all sticking with the PGA Tour and thats where I kind of stay and thats where I belong.. To join the conversation, please The rumored Saudi-backed golf super league is gaining traction, but where do the top pros in the world stand on the matter? Should they take the dizzying Saudi super league money and risk bans from their home tours, the Ryder Cup and even the majors? We have requested a release and dont know when well hear back, but I have heard verbally that the Tour is still taking everything under consideration, said David Winkle, Johnsons longtime agent. Tiger Woods warns his return to competitive golf remains 'a long way off' Read more David has covered the last 12 Ryder Cups and every Masters tournament since 1999. Rory McIlroy, in discussing the Saudi International, the appearance payments that come with it, and the potential new tour, told reporters at the Dubai Desert Classic that while he couldn't. Is he interested? Those of us afforded more cynical disposition can point towards the safe, controversy-free domain that golf provides for anybody seeking a reputational uplift. Poulter, who has amassed over 50m in his career to date, has represented Europe in the Ryder Cup on seven occasions, including a Vice-Captain position in 2016. Thats my allegiance, I guess.. Is he interested? There's a lot of grey areas and I've certainly thought about it and wrestled with it. Golf Podcast 476: These Three Guys are Changing the Long Drive Game, Golf Podcast 475: Scottie Schefflers Rise to Success: His Trainer Reveals the Secret. After squandering his 54-hole lead with a double bogey on the 14th hole and bogey on the 16th, Varner was two shots back of Bubba Watson with two holes to play at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club. I just dont want to say anything.. Im not going to hit you over the head with a grow the game rallying cry, but at a basic level, I think we can agree wed all like to see a bit more peace around the world. But as Ive said before, I certainly don't blame anyone for going and doing it. Visit our corporate site. On another trip, to Morocco, we were greeted by state militia, brandishing machine guns, at the airport, and they never left our side the entire week. Woods has not said much about the proposed super league, but he has turned down some serious cash to play in Saudi Arabia. Greg Norman appears to be the face of the organization, LIV Golf Investments, behind the would-be league, and the group has been pouring cash into the Asian Tour as part their push on to the global golf stage. We would not have an incentive program like the PIP for the top players without this type of competition. When the PGA and European tours announced a strategic alliance last summera move widely interpreted as a joint effort to stymie the Saudis rival tourthe tournament was booted from the European schedule. Just when it seemed Harold Varner III was going to come away from the end of the Saudi International with merely another learning experience," the 31-year-old North Carolina native pulled out the most spectacular finish of his career to walk off with his biggest title. From that side of things, I would consider doing that, for sure. Is he interested? However, there is one item that grabs players attention, and thats the safety of themselves and their families. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, BA1 1UA. That Kevin Na can command a payment just for turning up tells all about the scale of this lucrative operation. I think there's a real desire of the most competitive people out here to play against the best players in the world almost no matter what.. The media rights are but a small fraction of everything else. This past weekend in Singapore, Koepka finished in 3rd, just one back of winner Talor Gooch, who beat Sergio Garcia in a playoff. [They] have gone into areas in the Asian Tours path over the years and never had any problems playing tournaments all over Asia and the Middle East. And McIlroy feels the PGA and DP World Tours need to be careful about placing restrictions on players who want to cash in. RELATED: Undercover Caddie: Do tour pros cheat? The American enjoyed his best season to date in 2021, where three PGA Tour victories (which included two FedEx Cup playoff events) culminated in him being crowned the FedEx Cup champion. Is he interested? But then Majed al-Sorour bears gifts like few others. Why? I can see why they feel threatened.. I do. Im not saying that these leagues couldnt be great, and things may change. Even when I started to get appearance fees back in 2009 or whatever, I struggled with that, going to tournaments in Korea and Japan feeling like I had already won before I teed it up and had to get over that mental battle of that as well. GOLF DIGEST MAY EARN A PORTION OF SALES FROM PRODUCTS THAT ARE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR SITE AS PART OF OUR AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH RETAILERS. For most the tri-continental struggle is not a moral maze, but a crossroads. Elliott Heath puts the sneaker-style GrandPro AM shoes from Cole Haan to the test, By Elliott Heath Two Sides to Every Story | Grant Horvat Explains Why He Left Good Good, LIV Golfers Are Struggling to Keep Sponsors, FIRST LOOK: Rapsodo Debuts New MLM2PRO Launch Monitor and Golf Simulator, REPORT: LIV Purchased Land In North Augusta To Build Championship Venue. Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. In truth, most players dont care about the social or societal issues of a foreign country. I dont know anything Moneys cool. In explaining his involvement, he said the PGA Tour's "obnoxious greed" had "opened the . the man fronting Saudi Arabias golf project, What LIV Golfs boozy, buoyant week in Australia means, LIV Golfs bold plan to dominate Australia in 2024, Smelled like beer: Wild scenes after LIV ace, How fatherhood took Rahm from angry golfer to world No. He commented: I understand the position of the Tours. Speaking before this week's Saudi International, where players have been tempted by huge appearance fees, Westwood, 48, was still able to make one perceptive remark about the Saudis' investment in the Asian Tour. The biggest thing [are] media rights and the way the players have been used for so long, he said. While details on the league are sparse, information about it has steadily trickled out over the past few years giving us a rough outline of what it may look like. Thats my take on it. Golf has got itself to a table so lavish that a rival super league, the British-based Premier Golf League, has struggled to get people to take any notice. Appearance fees for the recent Saudi International, above, totalled around $15m. Bubbas appearance fee this week isnt bad, just the $1.5m!! The Saudi International, currently titled as the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers for sponsorship reasons, is a professional golf tournament that is held at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. We were told the soldiers were there for protection, but it was unclear who or what they were exactly protecting. Is he interested? If this entire scenario doesnt make golf and its players feel deeply uncomfortable, it should do. Between the appearance fees, Under Armour, Coca-Cola, Titleist sponsorship, and the commercials, were pretty sure this 22-year old is set for lifeand he has a whole bunch more to earn in his future. As many know, Mcilroy has already missed two events which cost him a 3 million deduction from his PIP earnings. Were trying to achieve things, not only for myself but for my family. Golf delivers strong links to property development, tourism and monied markets, even before the issue of so little pushback is contemplated. And its an unspoken agreement that youre going to be on your best behavior, because youre an extension of the tour, and to a greater degree, your country. The European Tour's swing through the Middle East is known for using appearance fees to build top-notch fields. It is no mean feat to be instantly recognised by the worlds leading golfers. Unlike most other sports, golf has offered little pushback to Saudi Arabias attempts to repair its reputation. Im appreciative of the fact that there is competition, and that leverage has allowed for a much better environment on the PGA Tour, he said. Everyone goes over there, kind of leaves me with no choice, but I would like to play the PGA.. Any other justification of why theyre playing is a facade. USE OF AND/OR REGISTRATION ON ANY PORTION OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF OURVISITOR AGREEMENT(UPDATED 1/6/23),PRIVACY AND COOKIES NOTICE(UPDATED 1/4/23) ANDCALIFORNIA PRIVACY NOTICE. Prepare to be BLOWN AWAY by this Course! Were beginning to see a trend among Tour stars where anti-Saudi players speak out, and (seemingly) pro-Saudi players either tip toe around the subject, or outright refuse to answer. Mickelson went scorched-earth on the PGA Tour as he aired his grievances to Golf Digest in an exclusive interview in early February. We Played Golf at Sea Island for the First Time! If enough dominoes fall, the young Norwegian could follow suit. And so that was frustrating and tough.. Visit our corporate site. The system makes sense, and were not knocking it, but rather were more intrigued by what some of these guys actually earn by showing up. Brooks Koepka received a 200-club-length relief in one of the more strange rulings at LIV Golf Singapore over the weekend, and thats not an exact estimate for clarification. With a Graduate Diploma in Sports Management (UTS) and a Bachelor of International Studies (UNSW), Tillys writing pursuits extend beyond just the game, exploring the stories behind the athletes and their connection to the world around them. The PIF Saudi International is giving up-front cash to its contestants of note to simply show up. Ever wonder why guys like Spieth, McIlroy, and Bubba Watson add events in places like China, Malaysia, Dubai and Abu Dhabi to their schedules? McIlroy admitted it's hard to say no to the huge money on offer in Saudi but has spoken numerous times on his commitment to the PGA and DP World tours. Heres how it works. Significantly, that includes a tournament at Centurion Club near St Albans in June which, an insider told The Times, may become a test case with the DP World Tour refusing to grant releases to its players. We dont have anything further to add to our comments in July, a spokesperson said. You know, depending what your goals are in golf, I think the schedule is very appealing. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Ive always thought that rival golf tours are just going to make the existing tours better. Part of that was down to a desire to withhold the heavy artillery at this stage, as well as the fact some players had contracts to see out from when the event was on the European Tour. The Travelers Championship will be the week directly after the U.S. Open at Los Angeles CC, and typically, players enjoy a week of rest after a major. Rahm stated in 2020 he had little interest in the rumored league, and at the 2022 Genesis Invitational, he took it a step further pledging his unwavering allegiance to the PGA Tour. Is he interested? Rumayyan is not only the governor of Saudis sovereign wealth fund but the chairman of Golf Saudi. Some ABSOLUTELY arent, Who's playing in the Presidents Cup? These guys get paid big money by event hosts simply to appear and hopefullyboost revenue for the event. Italy's Matteo Manassero leads the Saudi International by two shots after an opening eight-under-par 62 at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club. The response from the two main tours has been defiant, led by Jay Monahan, the PGA Tour commissioner. And this is just the start of it, he said about Gooch. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Speaking ahead of the tournament and about the events on the other side of the world, Cantlay said that the chance to pick up a huge appearance fee for playing in the Saudi International was "very tempting" but he ultimately wasn't swayed. Like everyone else, were sworn to secrecy. That language makes it sound as though the former Masters champ has signed an NDA. 30 Days with GolfForever: You Wont Believe the Results! The Saudi golf span reaches far from Riyadh. THE MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED, DISTRIBUTED, TRANSMITTED, CACHED OR OTHERWISE USED, EXCEPT WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. 2023 DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Here is the prize money payout for each golfer at the 2022 Saudi International. WHAT IS THE TOURNAMENT PURSE FOR THE 2022 SAUDI INTERNATIONAL? In the meantime, the Saudis have gained a foothold by buying into the Asian Tour, so far via $US300 million ($421m) for a 10-stop International Series. Its a complex issue for the Tour, Winkle acknowledged. PGA Tour and DP World Tour on big appearance fees at the opening event of the Asian Tour, and is looking to . Did He or Didnt He? There are 3 more Tour events and 4 more majors until the FedEx Cup Playoffs commence. But lets ignore Watson for a second and talk about Tiger Woods, the king of overseas appearances. The money is reported to start at $2 million and escalate up to $10 million. Two or three times a year, theres a conversation about a host citys security and infrastructure, and weve passed on a dozen opportunities because we felt like it would be a hostile environment. Thats fine as long as at the end of the day, we come to an agreement, and we keep supporting each other. PGA Tour members who choose to compete without obtaining permission are subject to disciplinary proceedings, most likely in the form of a fine. We dont know for certain what has come of these closed-door negotiations, but we have accumulated commentary from many top pros in recent months and years. Influencing her writing style is an extensive career writing for NFP charities, sporting organisations, and the NSW Parliament. Between the appearance fees, Under Armour, Coca-Cola, Titleist sponsorship, and the commercials, we're pretty sure this 22-year old is set for lifeand he has a whole bunch more to earn in his future. We knew he could do this. What hes said: So for me, Im out. The 2021 Fed-Ex Cup champion said, I think it's a complicated thing and I don't think there's an easy answer. The Aussie seems to be undecided as it stands currently. The Super Golf League has been courting golfs biggest stars with a promise of huge pay daysmore than $30 million, in some cases. Amnesty lambasts 'irony' of Ladies European Tour events in Saudi Arabia. Easier said than done. He nearly blew the monumental lead at the event but managed to hold on and take home his first LIV victory. A post shared by U.S. Open Championship (@usopengolf). They can earn more releases by satisfying some other requirements. Bubba leaves Augusta and instead of playing in Harbour Town and Texas, he flies to Shenzhen, China to play in the Shenzhen International. Joe Bidens promise to recalibrate relations between the US and Saudi Arabia raises interesting questions about the future approach of Mickelson, Johnson et al. Yes in 2019, 2020. Really? Boxing and WWEs relationship with Saudi Arabia means golf isnt regarded as an isolated case. Golf Podcast 474: The Most Anticipated Masters Tournament Ever? I am fully committed to the PGA Tour.. Tilly Werner is an emerging talent in the sports journalism world with a particular focus on AFL, Football (Soccer), Basketball and Disability Sports. At the time, the PGA Tour confirmed that releases would not be granted for tournaments that arent co-sanctioned. My own views on the Saudi thing remain unchanged. The relief process was interesting, especially as it was the first time all weekend I had gotten to see a rules official interact with a player. What hes said: I can only say from my point of view I think that its been beneficial to the players to have competition, and I think the Tour would say that they probably feel that theyre in a better position going forward by having to sit back and kind of take a look at things and make some changes.. Has he played in Saudi Arabia? In order to get the Tour's Saudi International blessing, a player who has competed in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am at least once in the past five years must commit to play at least once in the . TRAVEL: Giants Ridge (MN) Should Be On Your Golf Trip Short-List! You cant find a player near the top of the world rankings that has supported the AT&T Pebble Beach tournament more than Dustin has, he said. DeChambeau is currently in Saudi Arabia for the controversial Saudi International and it . Money is evidently noisy enough to drown this out. Koepka wouldnt be found guilty of any infraction, and he went on to finish T-2 at -8. The Daily Mail also reported that DeChambeau was offered over 100M (~$114M) to be the face of the league. #AGoodWalk: Eamon Lynch says great strolls are well remembered. Ive signed an NDA.. The players have the power and their next moves could be decisive. It's nice to be able to take a couple weeks off. (modern). It is now the second time in recent memory that Koepka has been the subject of rules conversations, as the four-time Major winner also was the subject of some controversy at the Masters when Elliott appeared to indicate which club he used to Gary Woodland on the Par 5, 15th. Yes in 2022. The Saudi International is scheduled for February 3-6 at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City, meaning players might not learn if they will be permitted to play until Tuesday, January 4. The business was desperate for higher purses and extra tournaments even before serious harm inflicted by Covid-19. If you were Tiger Woods, youd probably do it too. But then Majed al-Sorour bears gifts like few others. In July, Golfweek reported that the PGA and European tours planned to deny permission to members who wanted to compete in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has consistently denied any involvement from the crown prince, instead branding this a botched rogue extradition. What hes said: I just dont want to go over there Its a long way.. At the end of the day, if you try to take that hard line stance, you're just going to end up not being able to do what you want to do.". I think there's two sides to every coin and if people want to be more interested in golf and want to put more money into golf, I think that's a good thing. Golfweek has obtained a current list of players who have already applied for a release to compete in Saudi Arabia in February. However, their decision to bow out next week will mean a deduction of 25% of their PIP earnings (Player Impact Program) if they have another absence. Lots of countries block what you can pull up on your computer. It's a big deal. David brings a wealth of experience to Golf Monthly as a freelance contributor having spent more than two decades covering the game as The Sun's golf correspondent. Is he interested? "I think with the amount of money they're talking about it's always very tempting. But if players in the power struggle are now silenced by confidentiality agreements, they will have the final say in shaping the new landscape. It includes Johnson, the defending champion who also won the title in 2019, and 2020 winner Graeme McDowell. At the end of the day, the players have to decide if health or PIP money is more important to them or if necessary rest and or recovery is needed from week to week. How to Hit the Draw Shot: Golfs Secret Weapon for Mastering Difficult Courses. Well, according to @secrettourpro on Twitter, Bubba was rumored to take home 3x the amount of the 1st place prize. Interestingly enough, TOUR players are allowedthree conflicting event releases per season which are typically used to go play overseas. Join InsideGOLF for only $20 - includes instant $20 Fairway Jockey credit! There has been a critical error on this website. When the PGA Tour and European Tour announced a strategic alliance late last year, Saudi Arabia remained on the outside looking in. You obviously want to be loyal to the people who have supported you and helped you along the way. What hes said: I think the schedule theyre proposing is very appealing to probably most golfers, I would think. According to ESPN, Woods turned down an appearance fee in the neighborhood of $3 million to play in the event in 2019. If somebody stood here and offered me 50 million quid to play golf when Im 48, its a no-brainer. Could he be the first defector? Koepka played the Saudi International for the first two iterations of the event, but then in early 2020 and, more recently, in 2020 he expressed he is not interested in a super league, saying the Tour does things the right way., What hes said: I, for one, have not signed an NDA, nor have I talked to anybody who would offer me an NDA. Westwood, meanwhile, accused the PGA and DP World Tours of hypocrisy. Heres how it works. The 2022 Saudi International will be conducted under the auspices of the Asian Tour, in which the Saudis made a $100 million investment after failing to garner support for their Super League. Don't have an account? McIlroy pointed out that some players could earn about a tenth of their annual income just by teeing it up in Saudi, and it was hard to begrudge them that opportunity. When Sorour, the chief executive of Golf Saudi, whistles there are precious few golfers unwilling to trundle along in line. The Kingdom has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in sports to improve its international image, including Formula One, tennis, horse racing and wrestling. There are rules disputes, and slow play can really get on peoples nerves, but its nothing to get that worked up over. There has been a lot of talk and speculation on the Saudi League. On the mens side it is depressing that Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and others jet in and out of Saudi Arabia for their annual cash grab with barely a murmur of discontent, let alone decent explanation of why they golfers who already have more money than the Beatles believe this perfectly fair. If golf can help build some bridges to that endgame, why not make these visits, right? Westwoods NDA comment suggests that hes in negotiations with the new league. Hes also said in the past that singing on for a multi-million dollar guarantee would be an easy decision. Even guys like Rory are rarely seen on the PGA TOUR circuit until just leading up to the Masters. Johnson has won the AT&T Pro-Am twice and played every year of his career except 2021, when he withdrew two days beforehand, shortly after his victory in Saudi Arabia. It is sponsored by the Saudi public investment fund and carries huge appearance fees. Be it Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the fans are thrilled to see American tour players. On its surface, the event looks like just . These guys are making the trip to pad their bank accounts anywhere from $300,000 to $3 million for an appearanceand, perhaps, meet new sponsors. 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